When your neighbor gives you a huge zucchini, you make chocolate chip zucchini bread. It’s a match made in delicious heaven.
Zucchini season is upon us.
Every few days or so our super nice neighbor Charlie will pop over with a bag of veggies from his garden. In early spring it was bags of rhubarb {even though I have my own plant 🙂 } and lately it’s peppers, tomatoes and gigantic zucchini’s. And by gigantic I mean as long as a baseball bat. Okay so maybe I’m exaggerating just a bit but these things are h-u-g-e.
Since his last veggie-drop I’ve already made a few loafs of zucchini bread and he keeps coming at me with more zucc’s. So I figured I’d turn my traditional zucchini bread recipe into a chocolaty one. Because who doesn’t like to eat their dessert and a serving of vegetables at the same time?
Oh and the result, in case you were wondering? This bread is beyond delicious and I bet you a two-foot zucchini that you can’t eat just one slice.
To Make This Chocolate Chocolate Zucchini Bread You Will Need:
- grated zucchini – About 2 medium and size and I prefer to scrape out the seeds.
- unbleached all-purpose flour – The base for the zucchini bread.
- natural unsweetened cocoa powder (do not use dutch processed) – For that chocolaty flavor!
- cinnamon – Adds warmth and distinct flavor to the recipe.
- baking soda – Creates a gas while baking which helps the bread rise.
- fine salt – Can use sea salt or pink himalayan
- baking powder – Will create lightness in the batter, which makes the bread rise and gives it a tender crumb.
- eggs – Besides richness and flavor, they provide structure and help bind all the ingredients together.
- granulated sugar – For sweetening and flavor.
- unsweetened applesauce – My little trick for adding moisture without the extra fat.
- grapeseed oil – Lends moisture. Other flavorless oils (like extra light olive oil) may also be used.
- pure vanilla extract – Adds warmth and enhances all of the other flavors in this recipe.
- chocolate chips – For double the chocolate.
I start by slicing the zucchini in half lengthwise.
Look at that. It’s so excited to be a part of the chocolate zucchini bread that it’s weeping tears of joy!
With a spoon, scoop out the seedy center. I’m not sure how mandatory this step is, but I’ve always just removed them. 🙂
I go the old fashioned route and use my box grater for two reasons: A. It gives me a work out. And B. I hate, hate, HATE having to dig out my food processor. I may have said that about a thousand times already throughout this blog… but it’s the truth. So however you want to do it… just grate up enough zucchini for two packed, heaping cups and then set it off to the side.
In a large bowl sift the dry ingredients. First up: 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour…
3 tablespoons of natural cocoa powder {not Dutch process}.
Measure and add in 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
Lastly measure and add in 2 teaspoons of baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder.
Sift, sift, sift it good.
Then go on and add in 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to the sifted ingredients. It never fits through the sifter so I add it after the fact.
In a separate bowl crack in 3 large eggs.
To the eggs, add in a 1/2 cup of unsweetened apple sauce.
Then 1/2 cup of grapeseed oil.
3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
2 cups of granulated sugar.
And whisk to combine.
Add in the 2 cups of grated zucchini…
Stir…
Pour into the dry.
Mix just until incorporated.
Add in 2 cups of chocolate chips. NOTE: toss the chocolate chips in a little bit of flour before adding them in and that will help them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf. I totally forgot this step. It’s not crucial… but I recommend it 🙂
Stir until the chocolate chips are througout.
Grab two buttered and floured 9×5 loaf pans. NOTE: You could also butter and line with parchment for an easier attempt at removing the loaves later.
Divide the batter into each prepared pan. It’s about 3 cups per pan.
Spread it out and slide the pans into a preheated 350 degree oven to bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a tester comes out with only a few crumbs attached.
Boom.
Do you want the good or bad news first?
The bad: you have to wait for the bread to completely cool before even attempting to remove the zucchini bread from the pan. Once cool, remove and slice into 1 inch slices.
The good: Well, duh… this recipe makes two loafs. Annnd it has chocolate chips in it.
I have my dad’s, daughter’s and sister’s thumbs-up approval of this super delicious Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread. It’s perfectly moist yet still has that zucchini bread taste… just chocolate-fied.
I prefer to eat this the next day when the chocolate chips have had a chance to harden back up with a cup of coffee… for breakfast.
Yumsville.
Enjoy! And if you give this Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups heaping grated zucchini
- 2 cups Unbleached all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder, not Dutch processed
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup grapeseed oil
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°.
- Then butter and lightly flour (tap out any excess) two 9x5 loaf pans and line with parchment paper..
- In a large bowl, sift the flour, cocoa, cinnamon, baking soda and powder. Once sifted measure and add in the kosher salt.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, applesauce, oil, sugar and vanilla. Add in the two cups of grated zucchini. Pour this into the bowl with the dry ingredients, stir until just about incorporated.
- Toss the chocolate chips with a teaspoon of flour {optional} before adding them into the zucchini bread batter. Stir a few times before dividing the chocolate zucchini bread batter among the two prepared pans. About 3 cups per pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 40-45 minutes or until a tester comes back with a few crumbs still attached.
- Allow zucchini bread to cool completely before removing and slicing.
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Mmm this looks moist and delicious!
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Such a great way to use up zucchini! This looks great!
Oh my lans, this bread. Chocolate + zucchini = MFEO. And made for my pie hole. 🙂
Hello, pretties! LOVE this chocolate zucchini bread! Pinned!
Yeah, that looks amazing….I’d scoop out the seeds on a zucchini that size too. I think that the larger they are the less flavor/watery they are, so it’s prob a good idea!
Any quick bread that contains chocolate is perfectly fine by me!
I was wondering, did the instructions include the sugar? I guessed and put it in with the wet ingredients.
Yes! You’re absolutely correct! I’ll add that to the instructions
I will totally forgive ou for the lack of chocolate recipes – because you just hit this one out of the park!! I need a veggie toting neighbor, ASAP!
Thanks friend 🙂
I made this the other day and it is everything you promised and more! You are forgiven.
Ha ha! Thanks! I’m SO glad you loved the recipe Trish!
Ok, this looks soooo delicious. Just a curious question… Why no dutch process cocoa?
Great question! It has something to do with the acidity and how it interacts with the baking soda. 🙂
There is so much zucchini happening over here. I’m running out of ideas for what to do with it. So, this is happening. Love!
This is just what I need, so delicious to nibble on while I’m working!
Do you include the skin when you grate it or peel it off? I just bought a 7 lb zuchinni for $1.00 today at the market and I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Yes I do! Enjoy
This loaf has become my go to. “Oh, you had a baby? Have a loaf.” Or…”Please let me bribe you with this loaf and help me fix my flat tire.” It’s also been the perfect little treat to bring to early fall BBQs and bonfires. Thaaaank you!!!
That is awesome Marcy! I’m so glad!
Wow! Just Wow! I made this tonight and it was amazing! Thank you for the best chocolate-chip/chocolate zucchini loaf I have ever had!